Pro-Korea Senior U.S. Congressman: "Supply Chains for Minerals Must Be Diversified and Built with South Korea and Others"

Key Mineral Bottlenecks Exposed Amid U.S.-China Tensions
Urgent Need to Diversify Supply Chains
Allied Financial Tools Should Be Leveraged with DFC Reauthorization

Ami Bera, a senior Democratic Congressman known for his pro-Korean stance, emphasized on the 15th (local time) the need to establish a mineral security partnership with allies such as South Korea.

Democratic Congressman Ami Bera spoke on the 15th (local time) at the Critical Minerals Strategy Seminar hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington DC.

Congressman Bera, the Democratic Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, stated at the Critical Minerals Strategy Seminar hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. that "in recent months, trade tensions between the United States and China have intensified, revealing several key bottlenecks." He stressed the importance of securing diverse sources of mineral resources.

He also pointed out, "China has strategically built its market and developed production and refining capabilities in the critical minerals sector over several decades," adding, "There are also certain market manipulation practices that make it very difficult for other countries or companies to enter this industry and develop mines."

Since 2023, China has introduced export licensing and control measures on strategic minerals such as gallium, germanium, and graphite. These actions were a response to U.S. export controls on semiconductor equipment and AI chips. While China has cited national security as the official reason for its export controls, in reality, these measures have been interpreted as an attempt to leverage supply chains to strengthen its negotiating power.

Congressman Bera emphasized that the United States must diversify its supply chains. He said, "There is a growing recognition that we need to build diversified supply chains from both a national security and economic perspective," and added, "We must work together with friendly and allied countries to establish diversified supply chains."

He noted that the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) recently received reauthorization and was granted a certain degree of flexibility in its activities, stating, "We should utilize these tools in conjunction with the financial instruments held by other countries such as Japan and South Korea." Congressman Bera's remarks suggest that, with the DFC's reauthorization, the United States should combine its development finance with that of its allies to compete with China.

He provided examples, saying, "To avoid dependence on a single supply source, we can work with South Korea to enter Mongolia and foster new industries, or cooperate with allies such as Australia in Africa to build diversified supply chains."

Congressman Bera also added, "Looking at the African continent, the Trump administration is likely to take a much more transactional approach." This implies that, rather than merely providing aid or development support to African countries with key mineral resources, the United States could directly invest or enter these markets to secure mineral supply chains.

Congressman Bera introduced plans to compile legislation discussed in various standing committees-such as mineral security partnerships with other countries and trade policies related to critical minerals-into a large-scale legislative package at the congressional level. He emphasized, "Building diversified supply chains and infrastructure such as mines should not be a stop-and-start process; it requires long-term investment," adding, "This is why Congress must be actively involved."